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Sharing Makes A Difference

​There are thousands of children around us who suffer from life-threatening medical conditions and yet have no hope of recovery or survival, as their families are unable to bear the huge treatment costs.

The Aster Sick Kids Foundation or ASK Foundation (A unit of Aster DM Foundation) is an initiative by Aster, supported by Dr. Moopen Foundation, to ensure the best in healthcare for children under the age of 18 - irrespective of their socio-economic background. The Foundation provides expert medical care including advanced life support, cancer care, transplant surgery and neonatal intensive care to deserving children, with the support of funds raised through various charitable activities.

The ASK Foundation also extends a helping hand to deserving children who are being treated in hospitals other than Aster Medcity, by providing all possible treatment assistance.

ASK: How It Works

The concept of ASK is simple: Giving. We give more than we take; we give every child the best in healthcare; we give them the hope and support to live a healthier life.

That’s why when we get a contribution; we give it to the child as healthcare worth four times the amount, with equal aid from Dr. Moopen Foundation and Aster Medcity.

ASK has already provided healthcare worth over 36 Lakhs to deserving children, against the 8.45 Lakhs raised through contributions.

ASK: Helping Children Recover

Cancer Treatment

ASK ensures the best possible outcome and chances for survival for the child, through surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation.

Intensive Care For Fatal Ailments

ASK provides Intensive Care and Ventilator support for children with critical/ life-threatening medical conditions.

Neonatal Intensive Care

ASK provides advanced life support for premature babies with insufficient body weight or congenital defects.

Life-Saving Surgeries

ASK offers support for life-saving surgeries including heart and organ transplant surgeries.

The Great India Ride​

A novel initiative by Dr. Rajkrishnan C, a Dental Surgeon; Vishwanathan Menon, an Environmental Engineer and Shibu Mathai, a businessman from Kochi; The Great India Ride is a road trip on motorbike that was originally aimed at spreading awareness on conserving Nature and planting tree saplings in all the 29 States the three of them intended to visit.

Being the busy professionals they are, they plan to ride for a week every month. It was just after they completed the first leg of the tour in Mangalore that they heard about a two-year old child named Parvathy who requires a kidney transplant in the second week of September and her parents, Shinu and Saritha, who have no resources to pay up for the treatment that will cost almost 6 Lakhs (for the transplant and continued care). The three of them decided to make the India tour a truly great one: to save lives of children – not just Parvathy’s, but many more like her.

They intend to spread the word on the cause through their network on the social media, mobilise as many contributions as they can from people around the world, and pass it on to the ASK Foundation, which will in turn provide four times worth healthcare to deserving children.

The Young Warrior

A 2-year old girl from Matanur, Parvathy has been battling chronic kidney illness almost al her life now. The first symptoms showed when she was just 3 months old, as bouts of fits and persistent vomiting; and she was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Failiure. Her kidneys were poorly formed and not functioning. Her doctors decided to perform daily Peritoneal Dialysis on her until she reached an age and weight to withstand a transplant surgery. Daily Peritoneal Dialysis was performed at her home, under the watchful eyes of her mother. Parvathy started looking healthier, she gained weight and became a cheerful kid. Unfortunately, during one the dialysis, she developed intestinal strangulation that required immediate surgery. Post surgical infections and complications made further Peritoneal Dialysis impossible; and she had to start undergoing Haemodialysis. A complex procedure that cannot be performed at home and long period of time, things started getting worse and worse for Parvathy. Her condition is getting worse by the day. The only way out now is a transplant, which has been scheduled for the second week of September.

Though her grandmother is a perfect match as donor, her family is in a fix, as they have no resources to fund the surgery and post transplant care, which will cost them more than 6 Lakhs. Shinu, who was a driver in the Middle East was forced to resign his job to look after Parvathy, as it was impossible for Saritha to manage on her own. Parvathy’s treatment till now was possible only because of support from friends and extended family; but an amount that runs into Lakhs is way beyond their reach.

The only option for BP to survive is to perform the kidney transplant immediately and the same is scheduled for the second week of September. Her grandmother will be the donor. The family has pooled all their resources and relied on the contribution of friends and extended family to fund the medical expenses so far. Another 6 lakhs is required to cover the transplant and continued treatment . Shinu has had to resign his job to help look after his daughter. This leaves the family without a breadwinner. The transplant will not just save the life of a two year old but will help the family get their lives back on track.

Help Us Help

You too can contribute to ASK and help gift healthy lives to children. When a child’s life is saved; the entire family’s life changes for the better.